Forecasters: Storm Could Be as Damaging as Hurricane

More than 8,000 flights across the US set to take off over the weekend have been canceled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country bears down, threatening to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways. Roughly 140 million people were under a winter storm warning, from New Mexico to New England, per the AP. The National Weather Service forecast warns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from the eastern part of Texas to North Carolina. Forecasters say damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.

By Friday night, the edge of the storm was sending freezing rain and sleet into parts of Texas, while snow and sleet were falling in Oklahoma. After sweeping through the South, the storm was expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot of snow from Washington through New York and Boston, the weather service predicted. Governors in more than a dozen states sounded the alarm about the turbulent weather ahead, declaring emergencies or urging people to stay home. More than 3,400 flights were delayed or canceled Saturday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 5,000 were called off for Sunday.

Utility companies braced for power outages, as ice-coated trees and power lines can keep falling long after a storm has passed. The Midwest saw wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that frostbite could set in within 10 minutes. In Bismarck, North Dakota, where the wind chill was minus 41, Colin Cross was bundled up Friday in long johns, two long-sleeve shirts, a jacket, hat, hood, gloves, and boots as he cleaned out an empty unit for the apartment complex where he works. "I've been here awhile, and my brain stopped working," he said.

The federal government put nearly 30 search and rescue teams on standby. Officials had more than 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets, and 300 generators placed throughout the area the storm was expected to cross, according to FEMA. President Trump said via social media on Friday that his administration was coordinating with state and local officials and that "FEMA is fully prepared to respond." More here.